


all that knowledge

by suneater00



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, the healthy daily intake of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 07:51:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13608882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suneater00/pseuds/suneater00
Summary: “So,” Gabriel said, cleaning drying blood from his face with his sleeve. “wanna go out with me?”Jack blinked a few times. He snorted while reloading his pulse rifle and checking his equipment. Only three magazines left.“You serious?” he seemed a little more serious this time, glancing up at Gabriel.The operation had started yesterday at 0520. It was supposed to be just a test for them, just a way to show the government that all those millions spent were worth it. SEP’s first official mission, just swipe the area so no omnics remained in there after civilians evacuated.





	all that knowledge

**Author's Note:**

> this is my valentine's day gift for AJ from tumblr's exchange event! I used the first kiss/date prompt, twisting it juuuust a little bit to fulfill my inner desires. I really hope you like it, sweetie! hope you're having a great week! ❤
> 
> the song I listened to while writing was Call me Hal, from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots's OST and the quote is from Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller.

all that knowledge

 

“So,” Gabriel said, cleaning drying blood from his face with his sleeve. “wanna go out with me?”

Jack blinked a few times. He snorted while reloading his pulse rifle and checking his equipment. Only three magazines left.

“You serious?” he seemed a little more serious this time, glancing up at Gabriel.

It was just them there - other units too far away or already dead. McDonell and Davis, the other two of their own unit, were nowhere to be seen.

“Of course. It is no time to be joking about this, Jackie.” Gabriel said while checking on his shotguns. “But it’s okay if you don’t want to, really. Just- uh- you know, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for quite some time now and… Yeah, this is not the best time, I know, I swear I was planning something better than this, but we just don’t know if we’ll get out of here alive and- this is not the best way to ask someone out. I know. And I’m rambling. Sorry for that, too. But- uh… so, wanna go out with me?”

Things weren’t supposed to happen this way. Well - at least not everything. Jack listened to everything wide eyed, mouth slightly agape with a blush creeping up his cheeks and ears.

“Uh,” Jack stuttered. Gabriel didn’t ask him in the most romantic way, so he didn’t need to respond with grace, with?, “Uh- y-yeah. Sure. I mean. That sounds great, I- yes.”

Gabriel smiled, all joyful and young.

“Really?! Okay, so, I was thinking we could just see some movies? We already do that, but, you know, we both like it and it’s super fun. But we can try something else if you want, too.”

“No, it- it seems great. I mean, it’s been a while since we don’t watch something together, it would be nice.” Jack was smiling, too, shifting slightly closer to Gabriel from where they were sitting - a forgotten room inside a destroyed building.

The operation had started yesterday at 0520. It was supposed to be just a test for them, just a way to show the government that all those millions spent were worth it. SEP’s first official mission, just swipe the area so no omnics remained in there after civilians evacuated. Intel team only reported a few, less than a dozen omnics - a few bastions, half of them already seemingly broken beyond repair. They were supposed to go on teams of four, patrol a predetermined area, go back to report, go back to SEP and eat dinner.

Intel team didn’t inform them about those OR14.

No one was informed, until then, that bastions could repair themselves.

Communication was cut off, one by one. But at that point, it could be just a malfunctioning EMP or static, right? Some interference maybe.

And then, communication with Colonel from outside the hot zone stopped too. All they could hear was a faint, cut sound of shouts and shots and someone screaming for them to retreat, it’s not safe anymore,  _ they can fix themselves- _

As far as they knew, they were the only ones left there - they didn’t know if more survivors made it back alive or were hiding like them. They haven’t seen or heard from anyone since 1206 - last transmission being heard a direct order to come back.

Gabriel sighed. He checked the time again. 1827. And he look at Jack, both tired, hungry, even scared - it was their first official mission as SEP, after all. They need to impress, to show off, to return without breaking a sweat and exchanging jokes. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. They were bruised, blood on their clothes. McDonnel and Davis had run to the opposite direction.

 

 

_ “Say, you gonna ask him out today?” Davis said while balancing two mugs filled to the brim with black coffee and, exchanging knowing glances with McDonnel, all at the same time. Davis took pride on her multitasking, as she said one time. They were gathered in one of the common rooms, waiting for the other units and Jack, who overslept. She gave the other mug to McDonnel. _

_“Wha- ask who. What.”_ _Gabriel frowned, holding his coffee with still sleepy hands._

_ “Farm boy,” McDonnel laughed, thanking silently for the coffee.  _

_ Gabriel was left speechless, looking at both of them. And then he sighed, mumbling behind his mug. _

_ “Am I that obvious?” _

_ “He’s the only one who didn’t notice. I mean, he’s no better than you right now, so-” _

_ “What?” _

_ “What do you mean, ‘what’?” McDonnel laughed. “He likes you too. More than ‘like’, actually, right?” _

_ “Yeah.” Davis smiled kindly at Gabriel’s face. “You know, he brings out the best of you. And I’d say you bring out the best of him. You should ask Jack out already, just give it a try. If it doesn’t work out in the end, it’s okay, I doubt you would lose your friendship or something like that. He’d understand and you’d understand if it doesn’t work out. _

_ “But-” again her knowing, kind smile. “Give it a try.” _

_ “What- you gonna say we complete each other or something like that?” Gabriel frowned at his now empty mug. And Niesha laughed, getting up from the table. _

_ “No.” she poked at his beanie and Gabriel looked up. For the first time, he could see that she really was beautiful. He understood why McDonnel was always talking about her with a fond smile, looking at her like she held the world within herself. “It’s not about making someone complete. You already are complete, Jack is, too. It’s about overflowing.” _

_ “What do you mean?,” he frowned again. _

_ “You’ll understand.” she shrugged, smiling wider. “Or not.” _

  
  
  


“Do.. do you think they’re-” Jack frowned, looking down at his on hands on his lap. “alive? Niesha and Aaron.” and then he snapped his head up and looked at Gabriel, clenching his hands. A nervous smile appeared, a high pitched laugh. “I mean, it’s a dumb question. I shouldn’t ask this, sorry.”

They needed to get up. To leave this place. It was only a temporary shelter, its sole purpose was to buy them time before more omnics found them. A single bastion, destroyed beyond repair this time, was just there at the entrance. Gabriel knew they couldn’t waste more time talking, but Jack needed this, needed the time to center himself. After all, he was still green at this. Sure, he was part of the US Army before, but he never really went to a battlefield. He never really faced any omnic.

They were working on the same unit for 1 year and 5 months and sharing the same quarters since their earlier SEP days - almost 2 years ago. And with that, they knew each other. Jack knew about Gabriel’s mom, who raised him alone. He knew about Chico, the cat he had when he was 7. Knew his quirks, his ways - Jack knew how to read Gabriel. And vice versa. Even if Jack never really talked about his parents or his brother -  _ they’re not bad people, per see, just… I don’t know. Never could quite figure out where things went wrong. _

 

 

_ “But what happened?”, Gabriel had asked. They were on their quarters, legs touching on the almost too small sofa while some movie credits rolled down the screen. _

_ “My brother died,” Jack sighed, fiddling with their shared blanket’s loose strings “mom and dad didn’t take that well. And then they found out that I didn’t want to stay in the farm for the rest of my life. And I told them that I’m gay. They didn’t throw me out or said anything bad to me, it was just that… I know that they didn’t accept any of that. We grew distant, I became numb with all that. At the beginning, when mom stopped hugging me happy birthday or dad stopped talking to me about the neighbors it hurt. But I guess I just… got used to it.” _

_ Gabriel frowned. Jack just looked sad - melancholic. They watched another movie that night and ended up sleeping on that sofa, legs and hands still touching. _

_ It was kinda worth their flushed faces and awkward glances when awake. _

 

 

“No, no.” Gabe’s hand was now just next to Jack’s thigh. A silent invitation. “Nothing wrong with asking that. I think they are. I hope, at least. Niesha can hold her ground better than us, that’s for sure, and Aaron doesn’t leave her side.”

Jack slowly lowered his hand, too, intertwining their fingers. Gabriel couldn’t help but smile.

“Say, which movie you wanna watch today?”

“What?” Jack turned his head to Gabriel. He didn’t let go of his hand.

“When we get back. I say we could try to watch something different. Maybe one of those Ghibli movies? Niesha mentioned them, said they’re really good.”

Jack laughed and Gabriel squeezed his hand, smiling.

“We could be dead at any minute now and you’re talking about Ghibli movies?” a snort and this time Gabriel was the one wheezing. He liked it when Jack snorted to hide a laugh.

“Sure. Already asked you out and got a yes, so there’s nothing to lose.”

It was easy to laugh like that with him. He made it easier to breathe, to let go and just smile for a bit.

Jack scooted closer, their sides touching now. He held Gabriel’s hand on his lap, looking at their intertwined fingers. When Gabriel withdrew his hand, Jack looked up again and found a familiar beanie being held. He frowned in confusion, but a small smile still graced his lips as Gabriel slowly put his beanie on Jack. And neither of them could tell who closed the distance first.

The kiss was kind, tender and full of unsaid words. Still a bit clumsy, a side of each other that they haven’t known until then. And it was overflowing. Another side to discover, to just let go and try.

 

And when they finally returned a few hours later, Niesha was there with her warm, kind smile - bruised and more bloodied than them, but okay. Aaron was still unconscious -  _ he hit his head hard _ , she said,  _ but he’s fine _ . She rolled her eyes fondly at their hands still together and Gabriel smile and shrugged, not letting go of Jack’s hand.

  
  
  


 

_ name one hero that was happy _

_ you can’t _

_ i’ll tell you a secret _

_ tell me _

_ i’m going to be the first - swear it _

_ why me? _

_ because you are the reason _

_ i swear _

 

i feel like i could eat the world raw

 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it! ❤
> 
> you can also find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/koushieie) and support me on [ko-fi](http://ko-fi.com/koushieie)!


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